The 26th edition of FESTROIA, the oldest and most prestigious film event in Portugal, concluded last weekend with the announcement of the Golden Dolphin Awards. This has been a rough period for cultural organizations in Portugal, with an already uncertain economy facing new challenges from what could be a long period of austerity. However, despite this, Festival Director Fernanda Silva continue the traditions begun by Festival founder Mario Ventura to create an event that reaches hig...

   SUBMARINO (Thomas Vinterberg, Denmark) Twelve of the best European films produced during the last year are competing for the main award of the 26th edition of FESTROIA. The prestigious Gold Dolphin will be determined by an international jury and announced on the final night of the Festival on June 12. The film directors of the above films are a mix of newcomers to Portugal, as well as directors long admired here. Amongst the returnees are the Danish director Thomas Vinterbe...

The EUROPEAN FILM ACADEMY LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD goes to Jean-Luc GodardThe EUROPEAN ACHIEVEMENT IN WORLD CINEMA 2007 - Prix Screen International goes to Michael BallhausThe nominations for the EUROPEAN FILM ACADEMY DOCUMENTARY 2007 - Prix ARTE are:AM LIMIT (To the Limit)by Pepe Danquart, Germany/AustriaBELARUSIAN WALTZby Andrzej Fidyk, NorwayFOREVERby Heddy Honigmann, The NetherlandsHEIMATKLÄNGE (Echoes of Home)by Stefan Schwietert, Switzerland/ GermanyLE PAPIER NE PEUT PAS ENVELOPPER LA B...

The second Thursday of the 50th Times BFI London Film Festival began promisingly with my first if brief visit to the Film-makers' Breakfasts held some mornings in the festival hotel, the St James Sofitel. a converted bank in the heart of clubland.In the small oak- panelled bar, directors du jour were already seated at 9.30am for their 90-minute rounds of interviews, cheerily marshalled by perky PRs.I managed a short but pleasant interview(see it here later!) with Denmark's Pernille Fischer Chris...